McCain's frank attitude and independent perspective have won our affections. No Republican has presented a more sensible tax cut plan, small enough to avoid pushing the government into future deficits. No Republican has presented a more sensible approach to reforming the military. No Republican has been more willing to speak out against the party's corporate benefactors in the tobacco industry. No other candidate--of either party--has had the audacity to go to Iowa and rightly speak out against ethanol subsidies.

McCain's commitment to salvaging the political process form the pernicious influence of monied special interests has been inspiring. For years he has fought the good fight in the Senate, working with Democrats and alienating the leadership of his own party. His commitment to the common good, even at the expense of his own political fortunes, is extraordinarily refreshing.

In the post-Clinton era, how nice it would be to see a national leader emerge of McCain's evident integrity. While he faces an enormous obstacle in the form of George W. Bush, intellectual light-weight and financial Mighty Mouse, we hope that McCain can somehow overcome. The Republican voters of New Hampshire can do the nation a great service by casting their votes for McCain, keeping his candidacy and his message alive for at least another round.

If there is any way to insure that future presidential elections will offer the American people greater hope for their future, it is through serious campaign finance reform. We hope that a victory for Bradley and McCain will keep this issue in the spotlight.

A Democratic Alternative

While Bradley positions himself as a leftist alternative for Democratic primary voters, Gore's proposals and his record after seven years in office speak for themselves. Bradley's liberal rhetoric has captivated the national media but won't hold up against Republican opposition and independent skepticism. Gore's more pragmatic approach and his deftness as a political leader make him a better choice for Democrats.

After his boss tried to reform health care in 1993, Gore learned the lesson that an expensive, ill-defined plan is less appealing than a practical, targeted one. Gore's sensible proposal for health insurance would focus on covering children and working families, two groups with the greatest need for immediate action. Bradley wants to take another crack at universal health coverage, a laudable principle without a prayer of passing Congress. He counts on market forces to make up the difference for the poor while scrapping the safety net of Medicaid. Gore's cheaper, more incremental approach makes political sense. Democrats shouldn't make the same mistake twice.